Travelling is something that each one of us looks forward to, taking a break from the routine, being with nature or getting away from that hectic life for some period of time.

Although it is a vacation, when traveling with kids is involved, we need to take special care about their food and nutrition so as to prevent any stomach upsets or hunger pangs or sugar rush.

It is better to plan things out while traveling with kids, here are some pointers to be kept in mind to make the trip enjoyable for you & your kids.

• Pack some stuffs to eat while traveling 

Packing some snacks while traveling is helpful especially when it is a long trip by road/rail and there are not many appropriate hotels on the way to stop and eat. Some high protein and high energy snacks can be carried like – 

• peanut/nuts/sesame chikki or ladoo
• Theplas or khakras 
• Homemade oats cookies
• Fruits like banana, apples, oranges, grapes
• Roasted or plain nuts and dried fruits like dates, berries, raisins, almond, cashews, walnuts etc.
• Muesli/corn flakes

These foods are a good source of protein, fiber and provide sufficient energy to sustain.

• Mindfulness while eating out

Remember the rule of FFP, fiber-fat-protein. Any food consumed outside should be high in proteins, good fat and rich in fiber. This will provide enough nutrition to the kids and prevent any sugar rush.

FFP combination food includes – 

• Rice/tandoori roti/phulka + rajma/chole
• Rice/roti + dal + sabzi
• Khichdi + lassi
• Noodle soup with vegetables
• Tandoori chicken + Veg pulao
• Idli + sambar
• Dosa + chutney + sambar

1. Avoid raw vegetables and cut fruits from roadside

Due to lack of hygiene, it is better to avoid any raw vegetable salad or cut fruits from roadside eateries. Eating them can lead to gastritis or dysentery.

Some of these cut fruits and vegetables may not be washed well before cutting, they are cut and left open for a long time, may not be covered – all leading to bacterial or fungal growth causing abdominal pain or infection.

• Carry your own water or hydrate sensibly

For short journeys, carry your own water to prevent searching for one when kids feel very thirsty. Also carrying packaged fruit juices is not a good idea for the sole reason that they are filled with sugar and do not carry any nutrition. Following pointers to deal with this problem – 

• Carry water or buy packaged drinking water
• For short distances, local dairy curd/buttermilk can help to quench the thirst
• If available, opt for tender coconut water or make your own lime juice by carrying lime and sugar.
• Avoid heavy milk shakes or juices prepared in roadside vendors or shops due to hygiene concerns.
• If you want to buy your kids milk, opt for ultra pasteurized tetra packs of milk from a dairy or from a supermarket, soy milk or almond milk if you want to get dairy free.

• Beware of sugar rush

When the kids get hungry, the first thing they ask for is something sweet. Eating only chocolates or cereal laden with sugar will give them a sugar rush but then they crash after the effect is gone and are hungry & cranky.

To avoid this, ensure good amount of protein and fiber with sugars, for example, 

• giving chocolate granola bars instead of plain chocolates.
• Chikkis or ladoos are a better choice than cream biscuits 
• Soya milk or chocolate flavored tetra pack milk is a better choice than packaged fruit juices

By planning, mindful selection, travel can be fun with kids.